Phonograph.



No. 663,I93.' Patented Dec. 4, |900. F. MYERS.

, PHoNoGRAPH.

. (Application led Aug'. 1, 1900.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

me unms versus cn. Puufmrmo.. WASHINGTON. uA c No. 663,|93. Patented Dec. 4, |900. F MYERS PHONOGRAPH-` (Appxicmitml med Aug. 1, .1900.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Medel.)

Patented Dec. 4, |900. F. MYERS.

PHNOGRAPH. (Application filed Aug, 1.., 1900.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4,

(No Mndel.)

NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK MYERS, OF NEW YORK, N. ASSIGNOR TO THE STYLOPHONE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PHONOGRAPH.

srEcIFicArioN fermingpert of Letters Patent Ne. 663,193, dated December 4.1906.

Application tied August 1, 1900. seriele-Ne. 25.550. (No model.)

T0 all, whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK MYERS, a citizen of the United States7 residing` at New York city, in the county of New York and 5 State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Phonographs; andIdo declarethe following to beafull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which 1o it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the gures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specificationl My present invention relates to sound-reproducing instruments of the phonograph type; and one of the objects of the same is to provide reliable and efficient means for giving both a rotary motion and a lateral feed to zo the record, Whether said record be upon a tube or disk, While the reproducing or recording stylus is held in a relatively stationary position. In instruments of this character as usually constructed the reproducing or recording stylus is fed laterally across the face of a record tube or disk and a plain rotary motion is imparted to the record tube or disk. If the best results are .to be attained, these two distinct motions of the two parts 3o referred to must be relatively determined and uniformly maintained by both the producing and reproducing instruments, as the slightest variation in relative speed gives an imperfect reproduction. There are many advantages arising from a construction which embodies the feature referred to of giving the two necessary movements to one part of the machine instead of two movements to two different parts.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for adjusting the recording-stylus or the sound-box toward and away from the record tube or disk, and the range of this adjustment is sucient to produce or reproduce records on tubes or disks of different sizes or diameters. By means of this feature ofmy invention any of the records to be found on the market, Whether the diameter be large or small and whether tubular in form or of the disk or tablet shape, can be reproduced on the instrument with but slight and quick `the latch.

adjust-ment. Records can also be produced in either the disk or tubular form by use of the instrument and asuitable recorder.

Another object of my invention is 'to provide means whereby the sound is directed centrally upward from the sound-box andradiallyoutward from the instrument. The adg vantage gained by this feature of my invention is that none of the vibrations from` the record are distorted or absorbed by reecting surfaces, and a more direct and perfect reproduction is attained.

Another object is to provide means for removing the tubular record and its supporting drum or cylinder together from the instrument in order that said record may be properly placed in its box or case and the drum then withdrawn and inserted i-n another record to be placed upon the instrument. l This feature of my invention obviates direct handling of the fragile records without a protecting-support.

Still another object is to simplify the construction and reduce the weight of instruments of this character.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure l is a front elevation of an instrument embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation. Fig. 3 is an end elevation looking at the opposite end from that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the governor and brake. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the arm for supporting the sound-box. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the record-shaft. Fig. 7 is a cross-section of the same. Fig. 8 is a detail View of the latch for holding the record-drum to the feed-screw. Fig. 9 is an end view of Fig.- l0 is a side View of the nut for feeding the feed-screw and the'meaus for connecting it to the frame of the machine. Fig. 11 is a detail View of the feet of one of the motor-supports.

Like numerals of reference designate like 95 parts wherever they occur in the different views of the drawings.

As shown in said drawings, the instrument rests upon a table l and is supported upon legs 2 at the corners of a horizontal frame 8. 10o A bracket It, rising from one end of the frame 3, serves as a support for one end of tho recordshaft 5, the, opposite end of said shaft being supported in a bracket 6, hinged at its lower end to the frame 3 and held in an upright position by means ot a pivoted lever 7. This lever is pvoted at 8 to the bracket 6 and has a knob or handle 9 for turning it.` When the lever is turned to a vertical position, its lowerend bears upon the upper surface of the frame 3 and holds the bracket 6 in an npright position, and when said lever is turned. down against the stop-pin 11 the bracket 6' may be swung down on its hinge, leaving that end of the record-shaft free for the rempval of the record-drum or record, andvice versa, and for the attachment of another record, as will be hereinafter explained. A stop-pin serves to limit the pivotalV "movement of, the lever 7 in one direction. The recordfshaft 5 is recessed at its opposite ends, asat 12.12% and adjustable centers 13.13a are held in the brackets l4 and. 6 by set-screws 14, the points, of said centers engaging the recesses 12. 12?*to form antifrictional bearings for said, shaft. The record-shaft has a longitudinal groove ex; tending from endto endvthereof to form aball.- race 15 for the lateral movementof the feedscrew. The feed-screw16is tubnlarin torniy and is provided interiorly witha longitudinal groove 17, which forms thexotherfhalf of ball-'race 15. The balls 18 are heldV in the groove 17 inA the feed-screw by stopfpins 19 near the opposite ends of said feed-screw and, projecting into the groove. To preventl the record-shaft 4from endwise withdrawal when;i the bracket 6 is swung down and inremovf ing the record-drum and its record, a yokey 20 is formed on or secured to the bracket, 4, and this yoke spans agrpove f ormedin the hub 21 of a gear-Wheel 22', kfeyeddto` thel rec! ord-shaft.

prevents theen'dwise withdrawal of said, record-shaft by coming in contact with the opposite walls of the groove. Thetubular feed,-

serew 16 has a notche'ddisk A2'3`secured. toitsA outer end, and the removable recorddruin and the sides of said disk.' The,record-dru,m`

is thus lockedfto thelfeed-screw and, revolyes and moves laterally with it. A coneJ 23% formed as a hub ofthe disk 23, fitsa conicall aperture 'in the end oftherecord-drdnl). I

The sound-box 27 is mounted withwintyhe,ap-r

ertnred end28 of an arm 29,projectinghoi`i lzon tally outward from themotorffrarne. Averticali meinberBO of the arm 29vtisa dovetail;

guideway 3l ontheside of the motor-frame,

f' and by adjusting the member 30 in the guhi'ideway 31 the sound-box` may be4 given any d esired position relatively'to large or small records Aor tubular or disk records. Whenhin its uppermost position, it is heldin place by a rQdV having a milled head 32 extending across the inotoi-lrame andphaving a'reduced end 33,`x

ka?, Fig. 1, in the side of the sound-box.

` Thislyohe deeshot hol'lheliyhehr. within the groove in thehub 21, but merely way 31 for workupon small records. In order that the arm 29 may be swung laterally out of the way when desired, said arm may be pivoted or hinged, as at 36. Any suitable sound-box may be used and may be held in the'aperture 28 of the arm 29 by a catch 37, pivoted at 38 to the arm and itting a groove Suitablyrnounted npon the sound-box is a ballcup 40,0f4 ordinary construction, and resting vupon the balls in the cup is a ball-cone 41,

also of ordinary construction, formed as a peut.` Qfthe hasta remita ot the. hom-bracket 42, the latterhaving plnralityof nipples 43 projeeting radially inI an inclined direction @eminem- Each hipplethas a horh 44 @0h- HBQLQQ thereto. Ahrahket formed. 0.11 the sound;bog;l anni 29 has, a pair. of, idlers 45, 19st..lt',i0.lif.anali-@hlg thereon., and a belt or band 46, preferably Ot rubber, passes around a grpQve 47, termed. in. the helm-bracket, over the` idlers 45, and down around a grooved seat-Wheel) 4.8, J'Qlirnhled by its. smh-shaft in one part et. thev motor-traine.

The motor for running the instrument may be of, any s xuitalble, form, the. one, shown bein Qffthesprihstype- The un@ upright supper@ 4.9i 49% ferlhhg. the. mot-@afname are haletant hytie, wilson biases 50, all rigidly Schritte tiene'0ithshrfishtslltporrs 49a and detahhsblrs'ehuntf t0. the. other. Submit 4,9

by, thsmteir-hhttens. 5.1, which. pass through hiert.'uhes.ih.the upright, 49131141; ihltothleaded setlists in. the blzaCQsOi rEhe.lower endsot the Sinniwtts42l49erepreviste. with means f9.1'. ready. attachment thhhdidethhhlheht from the faam@ 3- Asthme, themes. 52 are provided withiproiehtihg lips, which. passim@ rete' 'i 54.111 theses#phllihhf the fname' 3, hlltwrheuhs. letter-trame iS. more@ t0 the ffehtthes@ lirsehgaghuhser thhflihme-bars beyhhslithe @testes 54 The legsoh theA `motor-framehtn?.toes 56, v'vhiehi fit theY ressseSY inthe.' frsme, and when. in. platea thhmhsfew. 5.8, passing. through. Que ofy the itienodslor. blasted?, euthlsathlzeafled; aperture ih.thefhthlehhehhlds thsmQtOh-fwme firmly. ih bleh/.comms fname Sche permits its ,ready dthshhient and. dishohheetihh, there from. The spring-barrel 59 contains auspring Ot suitable lengthen@ gage., l4nd, upon.. 0.11.@ edge 0.4i thebsrrhlh. Spun-sha1'. rim. 6.0 it forinedqr att-ached. A shaft 61, passes centrally throngdhJthe1 barrel 59, andl this ,shaft is J'Qhrheledih; thtsupports 49. .49?. A ratchet- .Wiheelf shxled tetheshaft hl., anda pawl v6 3E engages4 said, ratchetfwheel,

The outer @i191 Qtthe Shaft. l-.plfhjectsihto ahepeuing ih the brac,ket,4,a nd akey64has a tubular shank 65'whichlts the endet said shaft and fills the opening inthebraeket 4. The spur-gear 60 .lhQShGSWith @which 6,8, xedito ashfftft 69,

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journaled in the motor-frame, and a large gear-wheel 70 is secu red near the opposite end of said shaft 69. The wheel 70 is in mesh with a pinion 71, keyed to shaft 72, journaled in the motor-frame. A gearwheel 73 on shaft 72 engages a pinion 74 on a shaft 75, said shaft being jour'naled in the motor-frame and projecting beyond the frame at one end, where itis supported in a bracket 76. The shaft 75 has a gear-wheel 77 keyed to it, which engages a pinion 78 011 the governor-shaft 79. On the outer end of said shaft 75 a pinion 22a is fitted, which meshes with the gear-wheel 22 on the record-shaft 5. The governor comprises a shaft 79, having a fixed hub 8O and a sliding hub 81 mounted thereon. Flat springs 82 are secured at their opposite ends to the Iixed hub and the sliding hub, and weights 83 are secured centrally to the springs. A brake-disk 84 is secured to the shaft 79 and may be formed integrally with the sliding hub 81. A brake-lever 85 is pivoted at 86 to the motor-frame, and at its lower end this lever carr-ies a leather brake-shoe 87, which may be pressed against the disk 84 with more or less force by a regulating-screw 88, litted into a threaded hole in the upright support 49a. :instantly varied by turning the screw 88. To start or stop thevinstrument when the motor has been wound up, a lever 89, pivoted at 90 to the support 49a, is moved to bear against the upper arm of the brake-lever 85 or to release it.

The nut 91 of the usual construction, which serves to feed the record-screw laterally, is secured to a bar 92 by screws 93. The nut 91 is threaded in the concave portion 94 to t the threads of the feed-screw 16. The bar 92 has secured to one of its ends an eye 95, pivoted at 96 to the support 49a, and the nut is held up into engagement with the feedscrew 16, when desired, by a spring 97, secured at one end to the support 49a, and its free end bearing upward under the bar 92, immediately under the nut 91. A stop-pin 98 limits the upward movement Of the bar 92, and a lever 99, pivoted at 100, serves to throw the bar 92 down to disconnect the nut 91 from contact with the feedscrew 16. Stop-pins 101 and 102 limit the movement of the lever 99.

The operation of my invention is as follows: When the motor has been wound up and a record has been placed upon the record-drum and the drum has been slipped upon the record-shaft 5, the bracket 6 is swung up and locked in place by the lever 7. The latch 25 is now engaged with the disk 25. The nut 91 is held out of contact with the feed-screw 16 by the lever 99, and hence the feed-screw and record-drum may slide freely on the rec-A ord-shaft and be set at any point. The stylus-arm 29 may be swung out ofthe way while the record is being placed in the instrument, it' desired. Starting from the left-hand end of the record in the position shown in Fig. 1

The speed of the record-shaft may be of the drawings, the stylus is brought into contact with the record and the motor is released, feeding the record to the let't when the nut 91 has been thrown into contact with the feed-screw. The speed is regulated by the screw S8, and the governor insures a uniform and regular movement to all the operative mechanism. When the feed-screw has reached its limit of endwise movement, the nut 91 rests in the smooth recess 103 in the feed-screw and the feed is stopped.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the arm 29 may be raised orlowered to bring the stylus into contact with tubular records 0f large or small diameters or disks of any thickness. Owing to the fact that the soundbox does not move across the face of the record revolving horns may be mounted directly upon said sound-boX, and hence do notrequire an elastic belt or band to revolve them. There are many advantages arising from the fact that all the movements necessary to produce or reproduce a record are given to but one part of the instrument-viz, the recordshaft, which carries with it the feed-screw and the record. The record-drum being readily slipped from the record-shaft and carrying with it the record serves to prevent injury to the record and is convenient in removing and replacing the records both in their cases and into the instrument.

I do not claim herein the subject-matter shown and claimed in my application, Serial No. 25,549, filed August 1, 1900.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is-- l. In a sound-producing instrument, a tubular feed-screw mounted on a shaft, and means for giving both a rotary and an endwise movement to said feed-screw simultaneously.

2. In a sound recording and reproducing instrument, a hollow feedscrew fitted to move longitudinally ou a shaft, and provided with ball-bearings, and means for revolving and moving said feed-screw longitudinally at the same time. A

3. In asound-reproducing instrument,a tubular feed-screw,a record-drum secured thereto, and means for giving both a rotary and a longitudinal movement to said feed-screw and record-drum simultaneously.

4. In a soundreprod ucing instrument,a tubular feed-screw, mounted to slide lengthwise on a shaft provided with ball-bearings, a record-drum, detachably connected to said feed-screw, and means for imparting both a rotary and a longitudinal movement to said feed-screw and drum simultaneously.

5. In a sound-producing instrument, an arm, means for vertically adjusting said arm, a reproducer attached to said arm, atubular feed-screw, a record-drum secured thereto, and means for simultaneously imparting both a rotary and a longitudinal motion to said feed-screw and record-drum.

6. In a sound-reproducing instrument, an

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arm having an aperture in its outer end, a reproducer seated in the aperture, a vertical member on said arm, a guidevvay o'u the frame of the instrument for said vertical member, a thumb-screw for holding said vertical member in adjusted position in the guideway, in combination with a record and means for simultaneouslyimparting both a rotary and a longitudinal movement to said record.

7. In a sound-reproducing instrument, a record-shaft having conically-recessed ends, adjustable centers having pointed ends tting said recessed ends in the record-shaft, bearings for said centers, a longitudinal groove in said record-shaft, a record-d rum on said shaft and a feed-screw connected to said drum, said feed-screw having a longitudinal groove therein and balls in the groove, and means for imparting a simultaneous rotary and a longitudinal movement to said feed-screw and record-drum.

8. In a sound-reproducing instrument, a record-shaft, a tubular feed-screw on said shaft, a record-drum tting said shaft, means for connecting and disconnecting the recorddrum and feed-screw, said drum being removable from the shaft, substantially as described.

9. In a sound-reproducing instrument, a record-shaft, a tubular feed-screw on said shaft, a record-drum attached to said feedscrew, means for revolving said shaft and imparting a simultaneous vrotary and a 1ongitudinal movement to said feed-screw and record-drum, and a speed-regulator for said shaft.

10. In a sound-reproducing instrument, a tubular feed-screw, a shaft passing through said feed-screw, a record-drum detachably connected to said feed-screw, a nut for feeding the screw, said nut being mounted upon a pivoted bar, a spring for holding the nut in contact withthe screw, and a lever for holding the nut out of contact with said feedscrew.

l1. In a sound-reproducing instrument, a record-shaft, a tubular feed-screw thereon, a record-drum detachably connected to said feed-screw, and tted to slide on said shaft, a disk on the feed-screw, a latch on the drum, a conical bearing for connecting saidv screw and drum, a nut adaptedl to be-thrown into and out of contact with said feed-screw, and means for imparting a rotary motion to said shaft, feed-screw and drum.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature in presence of two witnesses.

y 'FREDERICK MYERS.

Witnesses:

F. L. OURAND, GEORGE J. WEBER. 

